The Ontario government is launching the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program in five communities across the province. This program will help seniors on long-term care waitlists stay safe in the comfort of their own homes and communities for longer.
This new long-term care focused community paramedicine program will leverage the skills of paramedicine practitioners to help reduce hallway health care and provide additional and appropriate care for seniors. This program, which will be implemented in phases, will delay the need for long-term care for our seniors by providing them with enhanced at-home supports. The program will be fully funded by the provincial government and operated in partnership with local municipalities.
Phase one of the program will be delivered here in Ottawa as one of five communities selected to build upon our existing community paramedicine program.
The program will be delivered through local paramedic services, providing:
- Access to health services 24-7, through in-home and remote methods, such as online or virtual supports;
- Home visits and in-home testing procedures;
- Ongoing monitoring of changing or escalating conditions to prevent or reduce emergency incidents;
- Additional education about healthy living or managing things like chronic diseases; and
- Connections for participants and their families to home care and community supports.
- Based on the experience in this first phase, the program may be expanded to additional communities interested in participating in a second phase of the program.
Additional Resources
- Ontario Delivers $2.8 Billion COVID-19 Fall Preparedness Plan
- Read COVID-19: Long-Term Care Preparedness, the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s plan to prepare long-term care homes for future waves of COVID-19.
- Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
